Characterizing moldic and vuggy pore space in karst aquifers using borehole-wall, slabbed-core and thin-section images

Carbonate aquifers are prolific and important sources of potable water in many parts of the world owing to enlarged dissolution features that enhance porosity and interconnectivity. To better understand the variations of pore space in different karst aquifers, image and geospatial analyses are used to analyze pore attributes (i.e., pore area and perimeter) in images of vuggy aquifers. Pore geometry and 2D porosity derived from images of the moldic Castle Hayne and vuggy Biscayne aquifers are analyzed at three scales of observation: borehole televiewer, core and thin-section. The Castle Hayne and Biscayne aquifers are the foci of this study because the pore spaces that control the hydrologic properties in each of these aquifers are markedly different even though both of these carbonate reservoirs are prolific aquifers. Assessments of pore area, perimeter and shape index (a measure of shape complexity) indicate that pore geometries and pore complexities vary as a function pore type and scale of observation. For each aquifer type, the areas, perimeters and complexities of pores are higher at the larger scale of observation (e.g., borehole) than the smaller scale of observation (e.g., thin section). When the complexity of the moldic pores is compared to the complexity of vuggy pores, the results indicate that moldic pores are generally more complex than vuggy pores at the same scale of observation. Whereas estimates of 2D porosity from the borehole televiewer image of the vuggy aquifer are higher than those derived from the moldic aquifer, the range of 2D porosities is larger in core and thin section images for the vuggy aquifer than the moldic aquifer. A model for the development of pores is presented that suggests that the coalescence of small pores with simple shapes leads to the growth of larger pores with more complex shapes. The model suggests that the younger Biscayne aquifer is a more mature karst than the Castle Hayne aquifer.

► Assessed pore structure and porosity from images of moldic and vuggy aquifers
► Novel technique to analyze pore geometry in borehole-wall images presented
► Analyzed images at 3 scales of observation: borehole, core and thin section
► Pore attributes vary as a function of pore type and scale of observation.
► Biscayne aquifer is a more mature karst than the Castle Hayne aquifer.